In the United States and countries around the world, HIAS legal protection staff protects the fundamental human rights of displaced people and are dedicated to ensuring that clients know their rights, obtain access to protective services, and can navigate the often-complicated legal systems that lead to permanent status and security.
In an era of deep uncertainty and instability for refugee populations around the world, HIAS has recently notched important victories. Here’s a brief overview of our legal protection work in the United States, Israel, and Greece.
United States
HIAS legal protection staff, which consists of 23 individuals across six states, continues to offer an array of important services despite the challenges presented by the Trump administration. Since President Trump’s inauguration in January, HIAS has won 11 asylum cases affecting 26 people, had 71 green cards approved, and reunited five asylee families — among other notable achievements.
HIAS staff has also risen to the moment by putting together a Know Your Rights presentation that helped participants navigate changes to immigration law and policy as well as a Family Emergency Planning session to help those affected with family separation caused by the increase in deportations.
The months and years ahead are likely to present fresh challenges to the HIAS Legal team — the Trump administration is targeting lawyers and law firms, and immigrants themselves are increasingly vilified. HIAS, however, is pushing through this difficult environment and fulfilling its commitment to help refugees and asylum seekers gain their full human rights.
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As the world's oldest refugee agency, HIAS will always stand for refugees — no matter who is president. And we will do all we can to support our clients, every day, as we have for more than 120 years. Give with confidence to HIAS.
Israel
HIAS Israel’s in-house legal team, along with a pro bono network, made significant strides in 2024. Over 1,200 clients received legal representation, hundreds more attended community meetings and Zoom calls, and 778 received legal updates on their status. HIAS Israel staff represented clients from 22 countries of origin.
HIAS Israel helped Sudanese asylum seekers obtain residence status, Ethiopian refugees achieve temporary group protection, and Eritrean asylum seekers win victory in key litigation.
Yael, a law student and fellow, worked tirelessly to represent Freddie, a Congolese asylum seeker who went blind in Israel, in his successful quest to achieve official recognition for his disability and gain access to much-needed medical treatment.
Greece
HIAS Greece was founded in 2016 on the island of Lesvos at the peak of the European refugee crisis. In 2022, it opened an office in Athens and expanded its legal protection programs. In an environment where access to asylum is shrinking and human rights violations grow, HIAS Greece has remained at the forefront with legal aid provision, strategic litigation, and advocacy.
They have also won several important victories. HIAS Greece legal staff defended a group of asylum seekers from Afghanistan who were victims of a pogrom in 2018. In 2024, the defendants were sentenced — and the court acknowledged racism as the motive. HIAS Greece also represented a photojournalist in Lesvos who was attacked by a crowd after he filmed them hurling insults and threats at asylum seekers arriving on a dinghy. The Court of Mytilene convicted the defendants of coercion with racist intent, public incitement of violence, and dangerous bodily harm and property damage. It was the first time a Greek court issued a conviction for public incitement to violence against refugees in a public space.
Give today
As the world's oldest refugee agency, HIAS will always stand for refugees — no matter who is president. And we will do all we can to support our clients, every day, as we have for more than 120 years. Give with confidence to HIAS.
